Washing-machine



Patented Aug. 3 1, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET fiw ewiar I Nae/'2; M Nam/1 N. N. NUNN.

WASHING MACHINE- APPLICATION FILED 050.23. 1918.

Patented Aug. 31, 1920, A5. 2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

a 1,351,4ee; 7

res

NEV'VIENS'ZN. nnnn, or MAPLnwoon, rvnssoimi, assienonmo THEIAL'METAL Menu.

7 FAC'IURING- GOIVIBA NY, 0F MAPLEWOOD, MIS SGU RI, A OORIPORATION OFYJVHSS OUBI. I

WASHI-NG-IVIACHINE.

Application -fi1ed:Decen1ber 23, Serial I To all whom it may concern:

provement in Washing-Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates generally to motordriven Washing machines of .the'type employing a vertically reciprocating plunger carrying on itsflower end-a pounder or clothes engaging. member and my invention relating more particularly to :a clutch mechanism which is interposed between the motor-driven shaft of themachine and the reciprocating plunger-and said clutch vbeing specifically designed for throwing the .reciprocatingshaft or plunger into or out of operation and which clutch; when discon nected, beingarranged so :as to stop the reciprocating-shaft or plunger at the termination of its upward stroke rmovement.

A. My improved clutch mechanism is particularly applicable for that type of washing machine which includes a container, a

hinged cover therefor, a :[rod or plunger of-said plunger. this particular. type of machine, the relative sizes of the container andthe pounder or clothes engaging mem her are such that the hinged cover for-the container can be swung into full open position only when the plunger is at its highest point of movement within the container, for ifanlattempt .is made to swing the hinged cover into open position with the pounder its lowered position, the edge of said pounder will strike againstthejside wall of the container, with the resultthat the parts are bentor broken. To overcome this ob- Qjection, I propose to provide a clutch mechanism which will be efiective in stopping the reciprocating rod which carries thepounder at the end ofits upward movement and in which positionthe cover'can be read- Qilyswung intoopen position without contact between :the pounder andcontainer.

1 lhe principalobject of; my invention is 1 meme i Specification of Iietters la'tentf: fPwiggni-ed 1932(L relatively Z clutch mechan sm which mu be readily shifted from? one position to another and which clutcliis positive in action and very iefi ective inper-J;

't'orming Tits intended functions.

ViGW mY-iDVB IItlOII consists in certain novel features of jconstruction vand arrangement of parts, hereinaftermore fully described r showingmyimproved clutch mechanism ap- I plied thereto. V 1 -70 2 ist a planvi w \Of the clutch and showingthe operating lever thereof. V

. Fig. Bis-a vertical section takenapproxisition.

Fig 5 .ij gai enga es section t n l n hwise hr ugh c nte of h palut h imatelyon the {of Fig. 2 and showing the clutchin open or disengagedpositionr 7 a s a Qt 0-11:simi1ar to -Fig.3 and .mately onzthe-lineffir fi of Fig. A, I

approximately on the line -8- v8 of Fig; 2.

A g- 7 is a k l-93$: e bn- .t ke t lin r'Z-q-fz'lof mounted "for recipro'catory. ,movement through said cover, and iapounder orclothes engagingmember carried by the lowergend larged cross section taken 7 machine- 11 the hinged covertherefon; 1 2 ,a

between said ily' wheel and the reciprocating rod 12, and16 a motor-driven shaftigall of; these parts being vell-known in theart'and forming no partoi my invention. Fixed in any sultable manner on ranged shaft, 12 is a st'andor bracket-l7, the upperendthereof being provided with {rod 1 which is arranged ior reciprocatory movement throughthe centralportion of the cover 11, -13 the i-pounder or clothes engag- V ing member carried by-V-the lowerlend of said rod 12, 14a fiy wheel, 15 a ,pitman arranged thei cover 11 to onejside of the centrally ,ar v

horizontally alined bearings 18 and 19 in g which are mounted alined'shaft members 20 I and 21 respectively ThQouterend of shaft 20 has a suitabledriving connection with 0 With the forego gand other objects in the upper end of motor-driven shaft 16 or parts drlven thereby, and the outer end of shaft 21 carries the fly wheel 1a. The ad acent or inner ends of the shafts 20 and 21 are connected and maintained in alinement by an axially -,disposed p n or stud 22, the same being fixed to either one of the shafts 20 and 21, and looselyseated in the other.

Fixed on shaft 20 adjacent to'bearing 18 is a collar 23 and mounted for sliding movementupon shaft20 adjacent to this collar is a second collar 24;. This collar 24 is held to rotate with shaft 20 by means of a pin 25 which passes through said shaft and formed in said sleeve is an annular groove 31. The inner end of this sleeve 30 is provided with a clutch face 32 which includes a recess 33, the latter being adapted-to receive lug 29. The opposite end of sleeve 30 is provided with a notch or recess 3 1 which is adapted to receive a pin 35, the latter projecting inwardly from bearing 19.

Fixed to the bearings 18 and 19 and serving as a cover for thelclutch mechanism just described is an inverted U-shaped plate 36 on top of which to one sideof the center is I fulcrumed a short hand'lever 37. Formed through the cover plate and concentricwith the axis of the hand lever is an arcuate slot 38, and seated in the hand lever and proj ecting through this slot is a pin 39, the lower end of which carries a roller 40 and thelat- :tQPOCCIlpYlIlg groove 31 in sleeve V 30.

is a spring-pressed pin 41, the lower end of pair of recesses 42, the latter being formed 'inthe top of cover plate 36. (See Figs. 2

andfi) This spring-pressed pin is effective yieldingly retaining the hand lever in i'either one of its set positions, and which positions determine the engagement or disengagement of the clutch;

The relative positions of the pitman 15,

pin 35 and notch 34: are such that when the rod 12 will be held at itsupper limit of movement or in the position illustrated in .Figs. 1 and Under such conditions, it s will be understood that the clutch is disengaged and to effect such disengagement, the hand lever37 is shifted to its'limit of movement toward the righthand, as seen in Fig. i

. f sition. Seated in the underside of hand lever 37 2, and such movement is transmitted to said thereof in order-to transmit rotary motion from the main driving shaft 16 to shaft 20 and thence to shaft 21which carries fly wheel l'to which pitman 15 isconnected, thehand lever 37 is moved to its lefthand limit of movement, which 7 action shifts sleeve 30 toward the lcfthand, and by so doing, brings clutch face 32 into coiiperation with clutch face 28 andwhen collar 2 1 rotates to the proper position, lug 29 will lengage in notch or recess 33, thus locking the two parts of the clutch together with the result that the rotary motion of shaft '20 will be transmitted to shaft 21 andf-parts car'- ried thereby. r

the resistance offered by spring 27: and this yielding movement is effective in' permitting the two parts of the clutch to come into engagement with each other gradually and without suoden jerking movements, which latter, it will be understood, wou

strain parts of the mechanism;

Inasmuch as the reciprocat ng; rod 12 1s V yieldingly retaining said hand; lever in its shifted POSltlOIL, V

To close the clutch or engage the parts Duringthe latter part ofthe movement 7 stopped at its upper end of its" travehthe v pounder or clothes engaging'me'mber 13 carried by said rod'will, whengthe latte r'sto'ps, occupy a position'in't'he top ofthe'contai-ner 10 :and when so positioned, said pounder will clear the upper edge of the container 10 when the cover 11 is swung into open po- A clutch .of my improved construction is g V comparatively simple, can be easily.- and which is adapted to engage in either-one of a cheaply manufactured, is positive in action and i very effective in use. It, will be readily understood'that minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved device may be made and substituted for those'herein, shown and described, without departing move lengthwise uponsaid shafts, a lever provided with locking pins for shifting one of said clutch members lengthwise" upon its shaft and locking sald member in position,

yielding Ipres sure means for resisting the movement ofthe other one of the clutch memberaway from the manually operable clutch member, and a bearing provided with a pin-for engaging the first mentioned clutch member. a

2. In a clutch of the class described, a

suitable bracket provided with bearings on,

each end, a pair of rotatably mounted alined shafts, a guide pin mounted in the end of one of the shafts and recessed in the adjacent end of the othershaft, a relatively fixed 'clutch member mounted on the first mentioned shaft, a sliding clutch member mounted on the other shaft, said fixed clutch member being provided With suitable cushioning means, the aforesaid bracket having a suitable cover plate provided with an arc u ate slot and a pair of recesses spaced apart, a shift lever mounted on said cover vplate provided With a depending pin and roller mounted thereon, and a pair of spring-pressed pins, the roller adapted to engage the slidable clutch member through the slot and the spring pressed pinsengaging the recesses as set forth. i V

'3. In a clutch of the class described, asuit cent end of the other shaft, a relatively fixed clutch member mounted on the, first-men tioned shaft, a sliding clutch membermount ed on the other shaft, means forshifting the sliding member, a suitable recess in the slidingmember, and a pin projecting from the bearingadjacent'said sliding member, said pin engaging the recess 'When "the clutch members are separated. I 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature this 16th day of December,"19 l8.

" NEVVENS NUNN, 

